Draft law regarding the Turkish Red Crescent in committee

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Soylu stated, "The fundamental purpose of this law is to provide an independent guarantee for the special status of the Red Crescent derived from international law, and to carry its organizational structure and institutional capacity into the future in a much stronger and more dynamic manner.

In this context, we are expanding the definition of 'person in need' in the law to suit the new challenges brought by our era; we are not defining the legal basis solely by financial poverty, but are also legally bringing all vulnerable groups who cannot maintain a minimum standard of living due to various reasons such as migration, disaster, old age, or disability under the protection of this broad umbrella of compassion.

To combine experience in the field with state wisdom and to maximize our coordination capacity, we propose, with the approval of our Grand Assembly, to make our Red Crescent branch presidents members of the boards of trustees of the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations."

"We propose that the costs of blood components provided to hospitals be transferred directly to the Red Crescent"

Expressing that the proposal introduces certain exemptions and exceptions to accelerate the institution's life-saving reflexes in the field while legally strengthening its organizational structure, Soylu said, "Therefore, the way is being paved for disaster logistics, temporary housing, and first aid products to be procured quickly and directly from the Red Crescent without being subject to the Public Procurement Law. A very strategic step is being taken to ensure that the safe blood supply system, which is the lifeblood of our country, does not falter for even a single second and does not enter a financial bottleneck. We propose that the costs of blood components provided to hospitals be deducted at the source by the Social Security Institution and transferred directly to the Red Crescent. Furthermore, by introducing certain exemptions regarding customs duties on medical diagnostic devices and human-derived therapeutic products, as well as exemptions from court and prison construction fees, we are ensuring that not a single penny of the institution is wasted and that it is directed entirely to the service of the nation as a house of mercy. And of course, with this law, the loyalty deserved by our unsung heroes who work in the most challenging geographies, such as disaster, war, and conflict zones, and who risk their lives on the front lines, is being shown. It is proposed that our dedicated personnel who carry the Red Crescent under high risk be included in the scope of direct cash compensation and salary; by saying, 'While you save lives, your family and home left behind are entrusted to the state,' the strong and compassionate guarantee of the Republic of Turkey is being offered to them."

"These regulations form a legal framework compatible with international examples"

Taking the floor in the committee, the first signatory of the draft law, AKP Sivas Deputy Hakan Aksu, said, "As clearly stated in the general justification of our draft law, the Turkish Red Crescent operates within the framework of our national legislation and the international conventions to which we are a party. In accordance with the 1949 Geneva Conventions, it is an international obligation for states to determine the legal status of their own national societies and to make the necessary arrangements for them to fulfill their duties. Furthermore, Resolution No. 4 adopted at the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent held in 2004 encourages states to enact laws regulating the special legal status of their national societies; therefore, the proposal we are discussing today stems not only from an institutional need but also from international obligations. Indeed, today there are special legal regulations regarding national societies in 109 countries around the world, primarily in Germany, the United States, England, Switzerland, Italy, China, and Australia. These regulations generally govern the legal status of national societies, their auxiliary role to public authority, their position within the international movement, emblem usage rights, organizational structure, volunteer systems, and financial sustainability principles; therefore, our draft law does not introduce any exceptional practice, but on the contrary, creates a legal framework compatible with international examples."

"The Turkish Red Crescent is the largest aid provider among 192 national societies"

Red Crescent President Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, who attended the committee meeting, stated, "I would like to proudly express that our Red Crescent is strong in Turkey, but when we go abroad, it is much stronger among 192 countries. Of course, this is not the strength of the Red Crescent; this is the strength of the Turkish nation, because we provide aid with donations we receive from the Turkish nation, not with a budget we receive from the state. Therefore, the Turkish nation is a nation that manages to put the needs of others before its own when there is a need anywhere; this exists in our tradition and our history. This makes us the national society that provides the most aid among the 192 national societies in 2024 and 2025. This is our pride."